Singer-songwriter Josh Morningstar has been criss-crossing the country paying his dues one gig at a time.

For his own music, Morningstar already has a loyal fanbase who call themselves “The Crazies,” taking the name from his last album, “Whole Lotta Crazy.”

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In addition to his own tunes, Morningstar has become a respected songwriter with fellow country and Americana musicians.

That’s why his friend and country superstar Cody Jinks asked if Morningstar had a song that he could include in his new album, “Lifers.”

Morningstar, 35, who lives with his family in Greencastle, Pa., did in fact have one called “Must Be the Whiskey” that he wrote with Jinks in mind.

Jinks actually released “Must Be the Whiskey” June 15, as his first single ahead of the album’s July 27, release date, and it’s been climbing the charts. “Lifers” has topped No. 2 in the Billboard’s Country Charts. The week of June 22, Rolling Stone named “Must Be the Whiskey” as “10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week.”

The song made it to No. 21 on Country Billboard Charts. And as of press time Wednesday was No. 3 on Texas Charts, which is based on the Texas Regional Radio Report that states that 83 percent of Texas radio is playing the song.

Even Morningstar can’t get over the chart-topping success of the song.

“That’s awesome, I’ve never had that kind of success before, you know?” he said during a telephone on the road to Detriot for a gig.

If Morningstar wanted to hitch a ride with any country music rising star it should be Jinks, whose “Lifers” has been hailed as an album that is saving country music, and who sold out the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., for two nights during October 2017.

Morningstar said “Must Be the Whiskey” was inspired by a guitar riff that he kept playing.

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“I was like, ‘Man, that sounds like a Cody Jinks song.’ So I started diving into his catalogue to get familiar with the type of of songs he did,” Morningstar explained.

The song was finished when Morningstar saw Jinks at his sold-out Ryman show. A couple days after the show, Morningstar, who has had a friendship with Jinks for about two years, texted him “saying how cool it was and that I proud I was of him.” Jinks texted Morningstar back and said. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it, BTW do you have any songs for my new record?”

Morningstar said “yes, I do,” and sent over the song to Jinks who responded about a half hour later with what’s called a “work tape,” which is a quick recording usually by phone, with Jinks singing the song.

The song was added to Jinks’ “Lifers” album, but Morningstar didn’t know it was going to be the firt cut until the single was released June 15.

“I found out the day everybody else did,” he said. “I think that was intentional, because I think he wanted to surprise me. We have that kind of relationship.”

Morningstar said he first heard the song when a radio station based in Oklahoma was going to premiere the song. He downloaded the app to listen to it while they played his song on air, while off to his next gig.

“It may or may not made me cry a little bit. I can neither confirm or deny that,” he said with a laugh.

The song has been streamed almost a billion times already.

As a songwriter, Morningstar said he was “proud” to know that the song has been a success.

“I’ve been doing this so long I’ve heard my own songs once or twice on the radio before, but this, wow,” Morningstar said.

And if there’s one person to have interpreted his lyrics, Morningstar said Jinks was the guy to do it.

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“People like Cody because they can relate to him. He’s an every man. He’s not some superstar. He’s the guy that works behind the bar, or the guy who works on your car. He relates to people on that level because of that, people like his music and they also invest in him as a person. They root for him. He’s got that — he’d kill me for saying it — but he can be compared to Merle Haggard, a blue-collared artist. That’s what’s played to his success. As far as my song goes, he’s just incredibly talented. He could sing the phone book.”

Morningstar credited his homework on the type of artist Jinks is, as well as his song selection, which allowed his song to connect with his friend.

“They knocked it out of the park. I love it. They did a great job on it,” he said.

And Morningstar can thank Jinks for opening the door in Nashville, Tenn., for him as a songwriter.

“The day they announced it, my phone started ringing,” he said.

The songwriters he’s been writing with have a combined 38 No. 1 songs. With him, they’ve written a song for Ronnie Dunn, and are hoping Jamey Johnson will record their song, “Yellow Smoked-Stained Walls.”

But The Crazies don’t have to worry that Morningstar will step out of the spotlight anytime soon when it comes to his own music. He said he’s working on a new album this fall, with hopes it will be released through Young Mary’s Record Co. who has acts like Colter Wall.

And Morningstar will be back in the area next month when he takes the stage at Boondocks Music Festival Sept. 28 and 29, at the Washington County Agricultural Eduction Center, south of Hagerstown.

Those checks, though, haven’t come in yet from “Must Be the Whiskey,” which he’ll apply to keeping his career running, and supporting his family. It will also help to move his family to Nashville to help alleviate the amount of time he’s on the road.

As Morningstar continues to talk, Kid Rock’s tour bus passes, which is fitting because they’re in Rock’s home state. It makes Morningstar start thinking of partnering up with someone new.

“Kid Rock and I, I think we’d get along pretty good. We’re both into hip-hop and country music,” Morningstar said.

Source: https://t-tees.com
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